Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Chris McCall

Scottish Greens vow to fight general election on independence if Supreme Court blocks IndyRef2 plan

The Scottish Greens have vowed to fight the next general election as "a de facto independence referendum" if the Supreme Court blocks plans to stage an IndyRef2 in October 2023.

The environmental party - which signed a power-sharing deal with the SNP at Holyrood last year - said Scots "must have their say" on the big constitutional question.

Nicola Sturgeon announced to MSPs last month that her government intended to stage a second referendum on independence on October 19 next year - but only if the Supreme Court ruled such a move as legal.

The SNP leader said her party would fight the next UK general election on the sole issue of independence if judges blocked her plan.

Green members today backed a similar plan at a meeting of the party’s national council and announced their intention to stand candidates in every Scottish constituency for the first time.

In a joint statement, Greens co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater said: "The people of Scotland have repeatedly returned pro independence majorities to Holyrood and Westminster. They must have their say.

"Our preference is still for a referendum to take place in October 2023. Should that prove impossible, then we will contest the next UK General Election as a de-facto referendum.

"In that circumstance we want to put the unique Green case for independence to every voter in Scotland.

"And every vote cast on that basis will count as a vote for Scotland to become a Green and independent country.”

The First Minister last month warned if judges blocked her plan she would instead use the next general election as a "de facto" referendum.

The SNP leader said she would ask Scots to vote for her party on the basis it would begin talks to end the Union if it won a majority.

Asked about the possibility of a general election being used as a "de facto" referendum, Sturgeon previously said: "I'll set out this in more detail should we be in this situation, which I hope we won’t be in because I hope we'll be able to have a lawful referendum.

"But the first issue of principle is that – and I've always said this – Scotland can only become independent if a majority of people vote for that proposition.

"And secondly, when a majority of people do vote for that proposition, as a matter of practical reality, and this will be true after a referendum, we have to negotiate the implementation of that with the UK Government."

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.